WINONA, MN - The Minot State Beavers will be looking to turn the tide this weekend when they travel to face Winona State University. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm on Saturday, September 20, at Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winona, Minnesota.

The Beavers (0-3, 0-2 NSIC) have battled through a tough early schedule but remain confident in the progress they are making. Head coach Ian Shields has pointed to both positives and areas that need improvement. "There's certainly been bright spots. You go back to the Concordia, St. Paul game, I thought we did a nice job up front defensively, holding them to just 46 rushing yards," Shields said. "Offensively, we ran for 317 yards that day. If you look back to the end of last season, we've rushed for over 300 yards in four of our last five contests. Those are the parts that are working. There are other things we need to address — personnel, decision-making, schematically — but those are things every football team goes through."

While turnovers were costly in last week's loss, Shields emphasized that his team is still playing hard and has the talent to compete. "We're playing with effort. Against Mankato we were very competitive, and against Concordia the effort was there," Shields noted. "This is a resilient group that cares. But you can't turn the ball over four times on offense and expect to win. And when you don't get any takeaways on defense, it makes it nearly impossible. The fact it was close shows how hard our guys competed, but we've got to step up and make plays when the game is on the line."

Shields also stressed the importance of fundamentals as the Beavers prepare for Week 4. "We just have to be us. We've moved the ball — last week we averaged six yards per play — so that's not the issue. The problem is holding on to the ball and finishing drives. Until we fix that, nothing else matters. We need to be sound, disciplined, and situationally aware. The talent is there, but in critical moments we need to execute."

The Warriors (1-2, 1-1 NSIC) come into the contest looking to bounce back after their loss to Minnesota State University Moorhead. A traditionally tough NSIC program, Winona State is known for its discipline and physicality. "They're well-coached, disciplined, and they play hard," Shields said. "They have plenty of talent. But for us, the biggest challenge is internal. If we play our game, protect the football, and create takeaways, we'll give ourselves a chance."

Historically, Winona State has had the upper hand in the series against Minot State. However, the Beavers flipped the script last fall with one of their most impressive wins in program history, a 56-23 victory at Herb Parker Stadium. That performance showed what the Beavers are capable of when they execute in all phases, and it is something they hope to replicate as they return to Winona this weekend.

Despite the start to the season, Shields remains optimistic about his group. "The goal every week is to go 1-0," he said. "A year ago, we were sitting at 3-0, but honestly, we're doing a lot of things better this year than we were last year. We just need to play well, coach well, and take advantage of the opportunities when they're there. We have a highly motivated group, and I still believe we have a good team in that locker room."

With the toughest part of the schedule behind them and a rushing attack that has already proven capable of explosive performances, Minot State will aim to get back on track against the Warriors this Saturday.